Lesser
by Titheria
Summary: Venturing into the burned land of Lanox, Raven realizes companions are not to take for granted. 小悪魔の死 (Shōakuma no shi)


Lesser-Arctic Emotions

Raven fought with the last of his strength, the volcanic flames burned his skin and made the air musty making it difficult to breath. He turned his back; the last mistake he'll ever make. Looking down with regret he saw an arrow swallowed in flames, "A-ara," he said as he fell to his knees. "I'm so, so sorry…" Everything became blurry and dark as his head knocked against rock and wood.

"No!" he woke up with a jump, sweat streaming down his face. His hand naturally held his head wiping the sweat from his face. Raven sighed in relief, removing his covers he stood looking around the dark room, "Why dreams about Ara?" he questioned himself, "Why…I don't even have feelings for that weak Yama Raja." He stretched letting out a "meep" sound. There was a knock at his door.

"Hey, Raven, you awake?"

"Yeah, hold on." Raven yawned once more then opened the door. He peeked his head out, "Hmm?"

It was Add, Diabolic Esper, "C'mon, get dressed we're going to a new area. I'll tell you more on the way."

Raven looked down at Add, shrugging he closed the door, got dressed, and headed out. Add popped up beside him explaining the whole situation. "So, Ariel and her little crew found a new area and got ahold of some villagers. It's said that a female Centaur or Kinnara whatever you may call her, is burning half the village with arrows and such." Raven cut him off, "We're supposed to defeat this… Centaur? It should pose a larger threat than burning wood." Add looked annoyed but ignored the interruption, "Yes, and we've been assigned a little party." Raven gave him a raised eyebrow, "Consisting of…?"

"Humans, idiot." Add said with a snort, this Raven glared at him for; Add shrugged. "Ara, and El-dork are supposed to accompany us." Raven sighed, Elsword was good, but Ara? Why did she have to come, she's practically useless. Add seemed to notice his dread emotions for the group, "Not my choice, sorry mate." Raven shrugged it off picking up his pace and his companion followed. They reached a peculiar clearing where they were supposed to meet Elsword and Ara, they found them, and they were playing. _Pathetic._

Ara covered her eyes and mouthed, "One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten…" While she was counting Elsword cleverly hid up in a thick willow tree. "Wow, are team mates are children." Retorted Add. Raven grunted in agreement, he put his hands in circular position over his mouth and yelled down to them. "Hey, let's get a move on!"

Ara opened her eyes to glance up at raven and Add, they didn't seem happy. Her face flushed, Raven was the love of her life, and he looked handsome in his Blade Master coat. Shaking her head she called to Elsword, "Hey Elboy, time to go!" His head popped out from the tree with a disapproving expression, "Fine." Ara half smiled, he was trying to out-hide her in hide-and-go-seek.

Add gave both of them his get-over-here-or-else-I'll-feed-you-to-the-dead-soul-of-Karis look; that got them moving unspeakably fast.

Finally, they made it to the brink of Sander, Ara turned around and gave a last look to the desert. She squealed in excitement. This made Add smile, but Raven winced at the noise. Ara sprinted into the rock, and dust, Elsword following with laughter. Raven glanced at Add who gave him an insane smile before shoving him forwards, gesturing for him to keep up and hurry. He gladly took it; Ara's excitement lifted up the whole group's feelings about this expedition.

They made it to the town, Lanox, only to find it burnt, and shrouded in darkness. Ara's heart fell into a pit as she sank to the ground at the sight. Raven placed his hand on her shoulder, she looked up at him with almost teary eyes. He snorted and pulled out his blade entering the rubble; Add nodded at Ara and went to catch up with Raven. Elsword helped Ara up, leaving her to walk alone while he caught up with the others. Ara stood there staring at the boys, she knew they didn't know how to help but, couldn't they at least speak some comforting words? She glanced at the ground and caught a shadow deathly close, something tackled her to the ground pinning her. She made a high-pitched scream, the boys couldn't hear for they were too far ahead to notice her distress. The shadow turned out to be a tiny, blue engineer with a dagger. Ara head-butted it, the creature lost its grip and tumbled to the side. She got up quickly and put an end to the creature's life. The sight disgusted her, so she ran to catch up with the others, only was she too late, they were all being attacked by the strange creatures. A large raid of little creatures were overwhelming them, she couldn't just sit and watch!

 _Hell Blast!_

Ara used her hyper active to clear the monsters easily, this left Raven, Elsword, and Add panting and shocked.

"What where those demons?" Elsword asked, turning his head to Add, he shook his head, Raven grunted and discarded Ara from the picture. This left her feeling lost and lonesome again, she hung her head gripping her spear. They kept moving on, finally reaching a wood, Ariel was at the entrance of the woods.

"Raven, Add, Elsword, Ara! It's fabulous to see you here safe and sound!" Squealed Ariel. Raven gave her his disapproving look, she ignored it. "So, this is the entrance to the woods everyone was talking about~ now, go and defeat the Centaur!" She smiled and skipped away.

"She's more insane than I am" commented Add. Elsword nodded in agreement.

Raven held his hand up for everyone to be silent before pointing it forward to get a move on, everyone rushed into the forest. Ara trailed along behind Raven hoping to speak to him.

"H-hey raven, I've a question." She started, he turned to glare at her, "So I did some studying on new places, I was wondering if you knew what this place was called…?" Raven had no idea what this place was called nor did he care very much. He looked up and around, "I believe it's called the Burnt Forest."

Ara gave himma curious face, "Wow, I should have gotten that… because the forest it burnt…"

"Good job captain obvious."

"Thank you Sargent Sarcasm!"

Raven glared at Ara before heading out to defeat and conquer parts of the forest. After an easy run they made it to a clearing in the woods, when they all stepped in the center of the clearing, the ways out became enveloped in flames. Ara jumped back as well as the others, the fire was extraordinarily hot.

"Raven," Add started, "Did I say the Centaur shot fire arrows or her minions?" Raven then realized, they had just fallen into her trap. "Add, Elsword see if you can spot the Centaur. Ara, stay out of the way." Add and Elsword nodded, Ara just stood there, glaring at Raven.

 _How dare you speak to me as if I'm useless, I may be weaker than you all but I can accomplish many things. I'll show you, I'll save your lives. In this demented place._

Ara straightened her back, closed her eyes, and breathed in once more.

 _Eun…_

When Ara's eye's opened, Eun awoke; a high pitched howl came from her throat, nothing was getting past _this_ demon. Just then, the Centaur slammed into the ground making the earth quake and tremble. Ara turned around in a fury and started to violently attack the demon. Ignoring her rage, Add, Elsword, and Raven began to combo the creature.

 _45…32…21…16…10…7…2…1_

Add was on low health and was incapable to fight, Elsword as well. Ara had barley and health left as to Raven… he was on the brink of death. The Centaur gave a roar before loading an arrow straight at Raven, he couldn't dodge this one.

 _This is it. I'm not coming back._

The arrow was fired, raven shut his eyes to embrace the final blow. It never came. He peeked out and saw Ara standing in front of him, the arrow looking at him in the face. She took the hit.

"You don't kill people I love and care for…" Eun and Ara started. Their voices intertwined with each other creating a demonic tune. "You don't kill me that easily." Eun and Ara, with all the strength they could muster charged the Centaur, putting it in its place. Eun faded from Ara just then. She looked back at Raven and smiled, her gaze swept across to the others. All dumbfounded on the event that happened before their eyes. Ara winced twice before falling to the floor, the flamed arrow had stopped sizzling by now and turned to hardened rock. Raven gave a silent yelp and crawled to her side, "A-ra?" he said sadly, "Ara wake up…" he shook her body. "W-wake up, you're not allowed to go!" Add looked helplessly at Raven, this is the exact same scene he had in his life once before. He dreaded the pain of it.

"Raven-"

"Shut up!"

Add looked surprised, Raven was hunched over Ara, he silently cried over her dead body. Raven's death glare came over Add. "Scan her! I know she can't be dead, find life signs!" Add sighed, this was too much.

"Raven."

"No."

"Raven…"

"I said No."

Add hovered over to Raven's side.

"I'm no nasod, and I don't need to be to tell you what has happened."

Raven let out a pathetic sob, Ara was innocent, and how could these demon do such a thing to a harmless girl?! Add patted Raven's back, he knew Raven never loved anyone else except Rena but, Ara was now in his heart. And she was in his as well. Raven brushed Add's hand off his back and picked up Ara, her lifeless body flopped in his arms, dead weight was all she was now. Add looked to the ground, Raven held his head high and began to walk. Elsword trailed alongside Add, they all felt ashamed of think ill of Ara.

Elsword was the first to step into Lanox where everyone was eagerly waiting. A dread and depressed aura passed through everyone that saw them enter, Rena hopped excitedly until she saw what was in Raven's arms. Lu gasped and hugged Ceil's waist, he rubbed her back with sorrow. Aisha rushed to Elsword crying; Rena squatted to the ground, hands over her mouth. The shock forbade her tears to come. The whole El Search party was covered in depression, from Ariel to Pepso the Alchemist.

Ariel was so angry and sadded she yelled out, "NO!" everyone did not look up at her, "Pepso come with me!" He looked up at her and tilted his head. "We're going to make resurrection stones so Ara can live again!" He nodded, though doubt still clouded his mind. He left the group with Ariel and looked back, he wore a paper bag but that never meant no one could still see his emotions, Ara taught him that. Pepso hung his head, it was useless. You can't bring the dead, to the living. Anyone should know this, Ariel of all people should know that resurrection stones can't be forged.

"Ariel, this fable of resurrection stones… You know it will fail, Ara is gone."

Ariel shook her head, "gather all the alchemists, we will accomplish this no matter how long."

Pepso retorted, "What if it takes up five to six years? Ara's body will be half decayed by then."

Ariel jerked her head towards Pepso, "Then we better not waste any time, am I clearly understood?"

Pepso gulped, "Transparently."

Raven made his way to the entrance of Lanox, he could still hear her delightful chirps and squeals. They were all annoying to him when they reached here, now he just wanted to hear it forever.

 _Why was I so rude? Why was my feelings towards Ara… so harsh? That was unjust of me…_

Raven stood there, cuddling Ara's lifeless body; No one could speak a word to tell him otherwise.

Somebody patted his shoulder, "Raven," It was Ariel. "We're going to reserve Ara." This just made him hug Ara harder, though he did not want it, he handed Ara over to Ariel. There she took Ara away and left Raven to mourn on his own.


End file.
